
Animal Curiosity and Shiny Objects
Hard
Do all animals reach for the same objects? You place five items in front of four species and watch what grabs their attention. The objects are:
- a plastic mirror
- a stuffed doll
- shiny Christmas ornaments
- a red rubber ball
- a blue rubber ball
Each animal gets 15 minutes. Spending more than 30 seconds with an item counts as interest. Every species is drawn to the shiny ornaments. Beyond that, each one picks different favorites.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the monkey, cat, dog and mouse are attracted to shiny objects such as Christmas ornaments.
Method & Materials
You will observe the animals' reactions to different objects, such as a plastic mirror, a stuffed doll, shiny Christmas ornaments, a red rubber ball and a blue rubber ball.
You will need a monkey, a dog, a cat, a mouse, a plastic mirror, a stuffed doll, shiny Christmas ornaments, a red rubber ball and a blue rubber ball.
Results
The results showed that all of the animals were attracted to the shiny Christmas decorations. The monkey didn't care for the stuffed doll or the balls, while the dog only took to the shiny ornaments and the balls.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it explores the curiosity of animals, which is something that is often overlooked.
Also Consider
Variations of this experiment could include testing other animals such as birds, raccoons, and squirrels. Additionally, the experiment could be repeated using other items such as jewelry, toys, luminous items, and a torchlight.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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